Behind The Scenes: Staff Profile

Leigh Rankcom has been working for Anglicare Victoria for 15 years and is the Team Leader for Integrated Family Services.

Can you tell us a little about your role at Anglicare Victoria?

My staff and I work with families in their homes to help them make positive changes that improve the well-being of the parents and their children. We work with parents and help them explore how these changes can occur, what the barriers to change are, and we discuss how to overcome them.

Did you have a moment when you suddenly realised how much of a difference Anglicare Victoria was making?

I had been with Anglicare Victoria for about a year, and was working with a client who was completely overwhelmed by the stress in her life and past trauma. She found it hard to see a positive future for her family, and her struggles were preventing her from having a good relationship with her children.

I worked with her on some skills and strategies to help her relationship with her kids and she was very dubious at the start, but she gave it a go for a few weeks. One day at a session, she cried and told me she finally has hope for the future, and she was connecting with her children like she always wanted to. Things were far from resolved but hope was restored, a family became a family again. I knew I was really making a difference then.

What do you wish other people knew about your work with families?

The families that we work with come to us at a time of despair, in need of understanding and a sense of hope. For whatever reason, they are struggling to access the strength in them, but want to improve their family and to have a home where everyone is better. All they need is someone with patience, knowledge and compassion to help them.

What would you tell someone about why they should support Anglicare Victoria?

The people that work here are all driven by one goal: to see transformational changes in the lives of our clients. You know that regardless of what capacity you are employed in, you are in part helping people make changes and giving them hope for the future.

Without the help of our amazing donors and supporters, we would not be able to achieve this.

What do you do when you aren’t working?

I have a busy home life with three children, as a family we love being involved in our church activities. I also really enjoy four-wheel driving and camping outdoors, it is always good to get away from technology!